Abstract
Receiving unsolicited sexually explicit content or being sexted might come as an unpleasant experience in online dating. This study conceptualizes being sexted as a hyperpersonal failure and explores its negative psychological impact. An online survey of 505 Chinese heterosexual online dating app users revealed a negative relationship between being sexted negatively and long-term relationship commitment. Further, romantic disillusionment negatively mediated the correlation between being sexted and long-term relationship commitment. Interestingly, the fear of being single had a buffering effect, mitigating the negative influence of receiving sexually explicit messages and romantic disillusionment on long-term relationship commitment. This implies that emotional state could significantly influence how people perceive and interpret negative experiences in online dating. This study extends online dating research by uncovering the psychological mechanisms of hyperpersonal failure in the case of sexting in online dating. It also expands the understanding of online dating within Asian societal contexts.
| Original language | English |
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| Publication status | Published - Jun 2025 |
| Event | 75th Annual International Communication Association Conference, ICA 2025 - Hyatt Regency Denver, Denver, United States Duration: 12 Jun 2025 → 16 Jun 2025 https://www.icahdq.org/mpage/ICA25 (Conference website) https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.icahdq.org/resource/resmgr/conference/2025/ICA25_Abstracts_Program.pdf (Conference program) |
Conference
| Conference | 75th Annual International Communication Association Conference, ICA 2025 |
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| Country/Territory | United States |
| City | Denver |
| Period | 12/06/25 → 16/06/25 |
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